The research project is designed to teach the writer and the reader something valuable about a chosen topic and the nature of research and discovery. As opposed to the standard research paper in which the writer usually assumes a detached and objective stance, the research project allows the writer to take an active role in the search, to hunt for facts and truths first hand, and to provide a step - by - step record of the discovery process. The final collection includes several distinctly different writing genres more closely approximating writing tasks required on the job.

Three Part Format

• Section One: Paper Proposal
• Section Two: Annotated Bibliography and a Report of Findings
• Section Three: Discussion of Findings - Position Paper

Section One AKA What I Know, Assume, or Imagine:
Before conducting any formal research, write a section that explains to the reader what you think you know, what you assume, or what you imagine about your topic. You have just completted the "zero draft" for this section when you completed the timed-writing. The article you chose for the myth timed essay is the beginning of the research process. Full development of each question raised in the timed writing prompt should lead to a clear proposal for the research itself. Upon final completion of the full research process, you may have to go back and revise your original proposal a bit, for clarification. However, section one is completed before you begin the next section.

Section Two: The Search
Test your knowledge, assumptions, or conjectures by researching your topic thoroughly. For a traditional research paper, you would be asked to consult books, articles magazines, newspapers, films, tapes, and other sources of information...and when possible, interview people familiar with your topic. However, for this assignment, we will focus only on internet sources.

• The Annotated Bibliography:
  Once you have a working research question, the next step is to research the internet and complete an annotated bibliography (five sources). As you uncover new information, take note of your experience. Be sure to apply what you have discovered to the question itself, adjusting as necessary. You must be willing to readjust your question and be open to changing your mind.

  The annotated bibliography should be completed before you move to the next part of the paper: the report of findings.

• Report of Findings
  After completing the annotated bibliography, report your findings in this middle section. Using three of your sources, your report should include an exploration of your topic using a specific research question as a framework. This section should help a reader more clearly understand not just the material you discovered, but your process of discovery as well. You will need critically assess the information you have on your annotated bibliography in order to know what to include and how to report the information in this part of your paper.

  Cite sources carefully in the body of your paper using clear signal phrases and any necessary background information and / or context for each source.

Section Three: Discussion of Findings AKA What I Discovered and the position I now take
Compare what you thought you knew, assumed, or imagined with what you actually discovered; offer some personal commentary and draw some conclusions. Question commonly perceived notions about the myth you have been examining. You may argue a position, but this is not an "argument" paper. You may want to propose a solution if you have been researching a problematic myth. You might be showing how a myth has changed over time. Your conclusions here should flow organically from your research.

This section should be a fairly thorough reflection upon your actual learning experience. Therefore, do pay close attention to how your answer to the initial question may or may not have changed. You do not have to overtly couch your discussion as "what I learned" but a reader should be able to see what you learned and how you now put all this information together. Think of this section as a recommendation you could make given your topic. After all, your research should have allowed you to now have an informed opinion based on data or theory. You should, at this point, be able to take an educated position.

Works Cited and Annotated Bibliography
At the close of this paper, provide a Works Cited page, documenting the sources you used in your paper. Since you have been asked to compile an annotated bibliography of online resources for your topic, and since we are working online, the URLs should be fully functioning links.

Remember, the A-Bib is a free standing piece of writing as well as the basis for your paper in this last section. As such it is worth five points in addition to the final project grade.

Return to 305 syllabus Return to 1C syllabus